The Book of the Aquarium
CABINET AQUARIUM
THE BOOK
OF
THE AQUARIUM
AND
WATER CABINET;
OR
Practical Instructions
ON THE FORMATION, STOCKING, AND MANAGEMENT, IN ALL SEASONS, OF COLLECTIONS OF FRESH WATER AND MARINE LIFE:
BY SHIRLEY HIBBERD,
AUTHOR OF “RUSTIC ADORNMENTS FOR HOMES OF TASTE,” &c., &c.
LONDON:
GROOMBRIDGE & SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW.
1856.
W. H. COLLINGRIDGE, PRINTER, I, LONG LANE.
CONTENTS.
THE FRESH-WATER TANK.
PAGE - Chapter I.—What is an Aquarium?
6 - The Name and the Object — Philosophy of the Aquarium.
- Chapter II.—Proper Kinds of Vessels
10 - Rectangular Tanks—Construction of Tanks—Washington’s Stope-back Tank—Bell Glasses and Vases—Stands for Vases.
- Chapter III.—Fitting-up—Rock work
17 - The Bottom—Mould—Planting—The Water—Aspect.
- Chapter IV.—Plants for the Aquarium
21 - How to stock a Tank quickly—Selection of Plants—Water Soldier—Starwort—Vallissneria—Anacharis—Myriophyllum—Potamogeton—Nuphar Lutea—Pipewort—Utricularia—Isopelis—Subularia—Ranunculus—Hydrocaris—Alisma—Lemna, &c.
- Chapter V.—Fishes for the Aquarium
32 - Cyprinus Carpio, Gibelio, Carassius, Auratus, Brama, Leucisus, Rutilus, Alburnus, Phoxinus, Gobio, Tinea, Barbus, Barbatula, Cephalus—Percidæ—Gasterosteus.
- Chapter VI.—Reptiles, Mollusks, and Insects
44 - Chapter VII.—Selection of Stock
46 - Chapter VIII.—General Management
48 - Feeding—Confervæ—Uses of Mollusks—Objections to Mollusks—Use of Confervoid Growths—Periodical Cleansing—Exhaustion of Oxygen—Temperature—Dead Specimens—Disease of Fishes.
THE MARINE TANK.
PAGE - Chapter I.—The Vessel
53 - Points in which the Marine differs from the River Tank-Stained Glass.
- Chapter II.—Fitting-up
56 - The Bottom — Rocks, Arches, and Caves — The Water — Artificial Sea "Water — Marine Salts — Management of Artificial Water — Caution to the Uninitiated — Filtering.
- Chapter III.—Collecting Specimens
66 - Chapter IV.—The Plants
69 - Chapter V.—The Animals
71 - Fishes — Mollusks — Annelides — Zoophytes — Actinia Mesemhryanthemum — Anguicoma, Bellis, Gemmacea, Crassicornis, Parasitica, Dianthus, &c.
- Chapter VI.—What is an Anemone?
84 - Chapter VII.—General Management
91 - Grouping of Objects — Sulphuretted Hydrogen— Preservation of the Water — Aeration— Filter — Decay of Plants — Death of Anemones — Removal of Objects — Density of the Water — Green Stain — Feeding — The Syphon — Purchase of Specimens.
THE WATER CABINET.
- Chapter I.—Construction of Cabinets
101 - Distinctions between the Cabinet and the Aquarium — Construction of a Cabinet — Glasses.
- Chapter II.—Collecting and Arranging Specimens
106 - Implements for Collecting — Nets, Jars, and Phials — Pond Fishing.
- Chapter III.—The Stock
110 - Chapter IV.—Larva
114 - The Dragon Fly— The Gnat— The Case Fly.
PAGE - Chapter V.—Coleoptera
130 - Dytiscus Marginalis—Hydrous Piceous—Colymbetes—Gyrinus Natator.
- Chapter VI.—Heteroptera
139 - Hydrometra—Notanecta, Nepa, &c.
- Chapter VII.—The Frog—Notes on Management
143
LIST OF ENGRAVINGS.
- Cabinet Aquarium
Frontispiece. - Tank containing Vallisneria Spiralis, Anacharis, Gold Carp, Roach, and Minnow
Page 11 - Vase Aquarium
15 - Callitriche
22 - Stratoides Aloides
24 - Vallisneria Spiralis
25 - Myriophyllum Spicatum
27 - Potamogeton Densus
28 - Eanunculus Aquatalis
30 - Hydrocaris Morsus Ranæ
31 - Tank containing Gudgeon, Prussian Carp, Loach, and Bream
33 - Tank containing Minnow, Tench, and Perch
41 - Tank containing Planorbis Corneus, Paludina Vivipara, Lymnea Stagnalis, Unio Pictorum, Tumidus, and Anodon Cygneus
45 - Cleansing Sponge
50 - Actinia Mesembryanthemum, Dictyota Dychotoma
64 - Porcellana Platycheles, and Cancer Pagurus
72 - Carcinas Mænas
73 - Actinia Anguicoma, Trochus Ziziphinus, Ulva Latissima, Bryopsis Plumosa, Acorn Barnacle
75 - Actinia Bellis and Gemmacea, Delesseria Alata, Polysiphonia Urceolata
76 - Actinia Dianthus, Delesseria Sanguinea, Callithamnium Roseum, Griffithsia Setacea
83 - Edwardsia Vestita, Æsop Prawn, Enteromorpha Compressa, Ulva Latissima
86 - Dipping Tube
96 - Syphon
99 - Hand Net
107 - Diving Spiders and Nests
112 - Transformation of the Dragon Fly
120 - Virgin and Green Dragon Flies
122 - Larva of the Gnat
124 - Larva of Stratiomys
125 - Larvae and Imago of Case Fly
128 - Grating of Case Worm, Magnified
129 - Dytiscus and Larva, Reduced
132 - Hydrous Piceus
134 - Colymbetes
135 - Gyrinus Natator
137 - Gyrinus, Magnified
138 - Water Scorpion
142 - Transformations of the Tadpole
144, 145 - Pocket Lens
147
PREFACE.
Every day adds to the popularity of the Aquarium, but every day does not add to the accuracy of the published descriptions of it, or the perspicuity of the directions everywhere given for its formation and maintenance. Lately the periodical press has teemed with essays on the subject; but it does not require a very close scrutiny for the practical man to discern that a majority of such papers express the enthusiasm rather than the knowledge of their authors—a few weeks’ management of a tank seeming to be considered a sufficient qualification for the expounding of its philosophy, though it demands an acquaintance with the minutest details of the most refined departments of botany and zoology to do anything like justice to it.
I have done my best to explain and illustrate the whole rationale of marine and fresh-water tanks in my lately published work. Rustic Adornments for Homes of Taste; but since that work, owing to the expense incurred in its production, is published at a price which every lover of the Aquarium cannot command, I have thought it no less a duty than a pleasure to treat the subject more briefly, but still practically, and I hope profitably, in a volume of less dimensions and less cost, written for another class of readers.
The object of this little work is to teach the beginner how to proceed safely and pleasurably in setting up aquaria, whether for mere ornament or for the study of the novel forms of animal and vegetable life which these collections enable us to observe closely, no less for the increase of our knowledge of the world, than for the exaltation of our sense of the omnipotence and benignity of Him who created it.
- The Nursery, Tottenham.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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